A six-year-old girl and her kindergarten teacher have something special in common: they have matching open-heart surgery scars.
Kennedy Vogt was a student at Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida, where her teacher, Carlene Honor, also underwent heart surgery.
The school purposefully paired them together, creating a “twin of hearts” bond that extended far beyond the classroom.
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When Vogt was just 5 years old, she went to the emergency room with the flu and pneumonia and received the surprising diagnosis that she had a hole the size of a nickel in her heart.
“This is a rare congenital heart defect that affects the structure of the heart while it forms during pregnancy,” said Pediatric Cardiologist at AdventHealth for Children and the girl’s doctor. Dr. Matthew Zussman told FOX News Digital.
Kennedy Vogt (left) is a student at Lake Highland Preparatory School in Orlando, Florida. She underwent surgery for a heart defect at the age of five. Her teacher, Carlene Honor (right), also underwent heart surgery. (American Heart Association)
“Specifically, Kennedy had a disease known as an atrial septal defect, which causes a hole in the upper chamber of the heart, increasing the amount of blood flowing through the lungs,” he continued. Ta.
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The defect usually does not cause complications in childhood, but if left untreated it can lead to heart and lung disease in adulthood, doctors said.
The diagnosis came as a shock to the family, as Vogt, an active, happy child who aspired to be a gymnast, had shown no warning signs.
open heart surgery It was necessary to fill the hole in her heart due to her position.
Honor and Vogt compare matching scars from open heart surgery. “She wanted her to know that even with her scars, she could live a normal life just like anyone else,” Honor said of her young student. Told. (Kristin Green-Vogt)
“The surgery involves making an incision along the sternum, connecting the patient to a heart-lung bypass machine and closing the hole,” Zusman said.
In May 2023, Vogt underwent open heart surgery at AdventHealth for Children in Orlando.
The girl’s mother, Christine Greene Voigt, said, “It was definitely difficult, but everyone was wonderful and the surgery went smoothly.” She said: “Everything went perfectly in that situation.”
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“I just thank the gods of modern medicine,” she said, adding that her daughter’s surgical scar is a “badge of honor.”
After just three days in the hospital, Vogt returned to normal activities, practicing cartwheels and going to school.
“What people don’t realize about children and open-heart surgery is how resilient they are,” says Zussman. “Illnesses that take an adult patient months to recover from can take only a few days for a child, and that was definitely the case with Kennedy.”
Bonds that go beyond the classroom
At Lake Island Preparatory School, Ms. Vogt formed a deep connection with Ms. Honor, who lives in East Orlando with her husband, a retired Air Force member.
Carlene Honor has been teaching for 13 years.
Five years ago, Honor suffered a heart attack while attending a girls’ basketball game at her school.
A teacher and student embrace during the American Heart Association Heart Walk in November 2023. (American Heart Association)
“I got up to hug someone and I just kind of passed out,” she told Fox News Digital. “But I was very lucky to be in Lake Highlands when it happened.”
Fortunately, one of the cheerleaders’ fathers at the game happened to be an AdventHealth doctor and had access to an automated external defibrillator (AED).
“It was just God’s timing,” Honor said. “Everything came together to save my life.”
“Thank you God for allowing our paths to cross.”
After undergoing five coronary artery bypass surgeries, she made a full recovery and now feels: healthy and strong.
Looking back, Honor realized he had missed several warning signs, including: shortness of breath And fatigue.
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“I say this to everyone right now: Listen to your body,” Honor said. “From that point on, I decided to do better about my health.”
Since the surgery, Honor has lost 70 pounds. She is now more disciplined about walking every day and keeping her doctor’s appointments.
“She’s very independent, very self-sufficient. She’s just an all-around great student,” Honor said of her heart surgery friend. “I consider Kennedy and her mother to be her family.” (Kristin Green-Vogt)
As soon as Honor heard about Vogt’s surgery, she knew she wanted to meet him.
“I wanted her to know that even though she’s scarred, she can still live a normal life like anyone else,” she said.
Mr. Honor described Mr. Vogt as “great in his own right.”
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“I thank God for allowing our paths to cross,” she said. “I teach a variety of students and she is just wonderful. She has a great personality. Very sociable, active, very funny, somewhat of a perfectionist, but very easy to love. It is.”
At first, Ms. Honor thought she would have to take care of Vogt, but she soon realized that there was no need to “treat the girl with kid gloves.”
“She’s very independent, very self-sufficient. She’s just an all-around great student,” she said. “I consider Kennedy and her mother to be her family.”
“Pediatricians are often the first line in diagnosing heart defects, so it’s important that children have regular check-ups.”
Vogt’s mother described her daughter and her teacher as “tough cookies.”
“This was just a speed bump for them,” she told FOX News Digital. “They’re willing to share it and hope it helps other people, but this isn’t all they have.”
Students and teachers are described as “tough cookies.” This November, the two joined more than 15,000 people in the Orlando metropolitan area for their local American Heart Association Heart Walk. (Kristin Green-Vogt)
In November 2023, Vogt and Honor joined more than 15,000 people in the Orlando metropolitan area to conduct a local American Heart Association Heart Walk.
Vogt was appointed ambassador for the event. She began her walk in a red pace car.
“It was amazing,” Vogt’s mother said. “For me personally, it was like closure. Everyone rallied around us. It was really special.”
heart disease in children
Although congenital heart disease is the most common congenital disease in the United States, it remains fairly rare, affecting only about 1% of births, or about 40,000 children per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). is said to be infected.
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“Kennedy was diagnosed with an even rarer atrial septal defect, which only occurs in about 20,000 medical cases a year,” said Dr. Zussmann, director of AdventHealth for Children’s Vogt.
Since Vogt’s surgery, she has been seeing her doctor regularly for ultrasounds and to listen to her heartbeat. And Zussman said the team is “overjoyed” at how well she’s doing.
AdventHealth for Children in Orlando, Florida, is one of the nation’s premier pediatric health networks. (St. Petersburg)
“At her last appointment a few weeks ago, I actually told Ms. Kennedy and her mother that she probably only had one more appointment left before she was ready to see her pediatrician again. ” he said.
“This is thanks to our incredible team of congenital heart disease experts and elite pediatric cardiovascular surgeons at AdventHealth for Children.”
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Cardiologists noted that while the causes of congenital heart defects are not completely understood, other types of heart disease that develop later in life are often caused by: Lifestyle habit.
Every child is different, and some children may not show obvious symptoms of a heart defect.
Although congenital heart disease is the most common type of congenital disease in the United States, it remains fairly rare, affecting only about 1% of births. (St. Petersburg)
“I remember the children we treated. They were bundles of energy. They played and were happy and showed no signs of heart problems,” the doctor said.
That said, there are some warning signs that parents should be aware of, Zussman said.
“These include shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in the feet, legs, or abdomen, abnormal heart palpitations, and difficulty physically socializing with friends and classmates,” he said.
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“Pediatricians are often the first line of defense when diagnosing heart defects, so pediatricians Periodic inspection” advised Zusman.
“If you’re concerned about a possible heart problem, trust your instincts and ask for a referral to see a cardiologist.”
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